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Genetic tests can give your finances a boost

David Budworth

August 24 2012, 1:14pm, The Times

Many people are concerned that taking a test for a disorder will blacklist them in the eyes of insurers and employersRunPhoto/Taxi Japan/Getty Images

Three years ago, Henry Fell, then 50, made the momentous decision to take a blood test for Huntington’s disease. Several members of his family had died after developing the central nervous system disorder. He did not have any of the symptoms but as he was about to retire he wanted to know whether he had inherited the faulty genes that trigger the disease.

The tests revealed that the risks were high and that if he developed the disorder his life expectancy was likely to be limited to 15 years. It is the sort of news that can knock you for six, but Mr Fell (a pseudonym) refuses to be downhearted and has even discovered that the results could have a favourable impact on his future…